All results / Stories / Natario%20McKenzie

Economist: Enterprises Bill $250k should be ‘bit higher’

THE Commercial Enterprises Bill’s $250,000 investment threshold should have been “a bit higher”, a University of the Bahamas economist argued yestrerday. Rupert Pinder, addressing the Rotary Club of West Nassau, said the $250,000 benchmark for foreign companies applying under the Bill did not match the level of incentives being granted.

Economist backs spending cuts to end ‘major wastage’

A University of the Bahamas economist yesterday backed government spending cuts on the grounds there has been “a great deal of wastage”. Rupert Pinder, addressing a Rotary Club of West Nassau luncheon, said: “We cannot overemphasise the importance of economic growth. You can cut spending until the cows come home, but what is really going to put this economy on a strong footing is growth. I am a proponent for cuts in public spending because I think there has been a great deal of wastage.

Nassau/PI resorts in New Year sell-out 

MAJOR Nassau/Paradise Island resorts are predicting traditionally strong occupancies over the Christmas and New Year’s holiday period.

All ‘milestones’ come Aliv for mobile player

The Bahamas’ second mobile operator said yesterday it had met all “milestones and obligations” for cellular coverage and infrastructure roll-out as required by its license, its sales and marketing head arguing it has “the best network in the Caribbean”.

Mortgage Relief: 16%of targeted borrowers qualify

Some 16 per cent of troubled borrowers targeted by the Government’s revised Mortgage Relief Plan have been enrolled in the scheme, a Cabinet Minister yesterday saying it had already been “more successful” than the first version.

Govt targets extra $40-$80m revenue from enforcement

The Government is targeting an extra $40-$80 million in additional revenue over the next six to 12 months as it pursues an enhanced enforcement/compliance strategy, a Cabinet minister said yesterday.

Abaco’s airlift capacity up 9%

Abaco has attracted 47,000 stopover visitors year-to-date, a Ministry of Tourism official says, with the island’s airlift capacity for international arrivals increasing for the third straight year.

Mortgage Corp still stuck at 40% arrears

The Bahamas Mortgage Corporation’s (BMC) arrears ratio continues to hover around 40 per cent, its chairman said yesterday, despite it adding $49.7 million in new mortgages to its portfolio over the past four years.

Fishermen: Gov't late on storm relief

Bahamian fishermen are hoping the Government will give further thought to their cry for fuel concessions, one representative telling this newspaper: “That would go a long way to helping the industry”.

‘Nothing to celebrate’ on $99m borrowing

The Opposition yesterday argued there was “nothing to celebrate” in the Christie administration’s revelation that it is only borrowing $99 million to fund the 2016-2017 fiscal deficit, its finance spokesman saying it had over-burdened Bahamians with taxes to achieve this.

FNM deputy questions Mortgage Relief ‘sense’

The Christie administration’s revised Mortgage Relief Plan does not make much sense “on the face of it”, according to the Opposition’s finance spokesman, who questioned what return the Government would get for its $20 million ‘investment’.

MSC deal to give Bahamian company ‘widest ever smile’

The Bahamian leaseholder of Ocean Cay will have “the biggest smiles ever” as a result of the deal that will see Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) take over the island for its $100 million cruise port.

Insurers unhappy at Gov’t ‘neglect’

The Bahamas Insurance Association’s (BIA) chairman says the industry believes the Government has neglected it, as there are numerous long-standing legal and policy issues it is still battling to resolve.

Union leader calls for Productivity Council

A leading trade unionist has called for the creation of a tripartite National Productivity Council, arguing that the Bahamian education was “designed for students to fail”.

Climate change exacerbates Bahamas’ major challenges

CLIMATE change is exacerbating the Bahamas’ challenges with food security, water scarcity and energy security, the Prime Minister said yesterday, over an issue that threatens this nation’s land mass.

Long Island is ‘like nation’s step child’

Long Island feels “like the step child of the Bahamas”, its Chamber of Commerce president yesterday warning an absence of growth and infrastructure is forcing businesses to close down.

Tease photo

Excise Tax snafu stymies start-up's 60 hires plan

A Bahamian-owned tobacco manufacturing start-up said yesterday it would pursue legal action as a “last resort” if it is unable to obtain an Excise Tax exemption on domestic sales, adding that its business model had been thrown “totally out of whack”.

Tease photo

Atlantis owner eyes 'significant' 5-year investment programme

The Atlantis resort’s owner is looking to invest a “significant sum” in a five-year capital expenditure plan for the Paradise Island resort, having pronounced itself “quite excited” to have completed the $1.9 billion refinancing.

Tease photo

GDP boost from raising Bahamas' 60% net access

GDP boost from raising Bahamas' 60% Net access By NATARIO McKENZIE Tribune Business Reporter nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net LESS than 60 per cent of Bahamian homes have Internet access, the Bahamas Telecommunications Company's (BTC) chief executive has said

Tease photo

$10m Port IPO hits the road

The roadshow for Arawak Cay Port Development's (APD) $10 million initial public offering (IPO), which kicked off last week, has received significant public interest, the company says. APD began the meetings at the Harry C Moore Library in Nassau, and the

Prev